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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · bay · pit · rock · fork · root · scale · wave

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — of a word
  6. rock — music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fork — in a road
  9. scale — in music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. root — the cause
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com